Wrench.



PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907. P. H. SGHALL & M. PLUNKETT. WRENCH AYPLIOATIONFILED MAY 10 1908 m/newton:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED I-I. SOHALL AND MARTIN PLUNKETT, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS; SAIDPLUNKETT ASSIGNOR TO SAID SCHALL.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed May 10, 1906. Serial NO- 316,053.

To (1 whom, it Tie/any concern:

Be it known that we, FRED I-I. SCHALL and MARTIN PLUNKETT, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWrenches, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches and more particularlyto wrenches of the alligator jaw type, and has for its ob ject theprovision of a wrench, the structure of which will be simple and strong,and one which may be manipulated to properly adjust the jaws by the useof butone hand of the operator.

The novel details in the construction and arrangement of the severalparts of a wrench made in accordance with our present invention will beapparent from the detailed de scription hereinafter contained when readin connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof andwherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wrench, Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view, the parts being shown in a differentposition of adjustment as compared with Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view.

Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like referencecharacters refer to corresponding parts in the several views, Adesignates the handle or grip of the wrench which is preferably Ushapedin cross section having its rounded connecting edge a uppermost, B, thefixed jaw and C the opposing movable jaw. The fixed jaw has an elongatedshank b projecting a considerable dis tance into the hollow of thehandle A, where it is rigidly and permanently secured in place throughthe medium of rivets b. The movable jaw C has a shank c substantiallycoextensive with the handle A, and loosely fits the hollow of saidhandle below the shank of the fixed jaw before referred to, and ispivotally secured at the end of said handle as indicated at Z), wherebyit may shift toward or away from said fixed jaw. As shown the fixed jawis provided with a number of teeth or serrations while the movable jawis smooth, but it is obvious that both jaws may be toothed if desired.Within the space on the interior of the hollow handle bordered by theconnected edge (1 thereof, the end of the shank b of the fixed jaw, andthe inner edge of the shank c of the movable jaw, a spring D isinserted, no other instrumentalities being afforded to secure saidspring in place, whereby it has absolute freedom of movement in itsexpanding or contracting action. The spring normally tends to force thejaws apart, and the means for retaining the jaws against the action ofsaid spring in either one of two positions of adjustment will now bedescribed, although it is of course to be understood that the spirit ofthe invention comprehends any range of adjustment desired or foundexpedient in the particular use for which the wrench is to be employed.Between the jaws B and C and that portion of their shanks housed by thehandle A are step-like portions E rising in a direction toward the outerends of the jaws comprising longitudinally disposed straight, fiat edgesor treads e and shoulders or rises d. Adapted to seat upon either pairof the edges (2 and in abutment with the corresponding shoulders d, tolock the jaws closer together or farther apart as the case may be, is asliding yoke E comprising side bars e closed ends 6" encomp assing thejaw shanks, and a guiding pin e arranged centrally of the open space etherein and dividing the same into a passage for each. of the jawshanks. The walls of the yoke constituting the ends of the open spacetherewithin are flat and straight as represented at e to becomplementary to the formation of the flat edges e, of the shanks of thejaws.

The guide pin just referred to serves an important function in theadjustment of the yoke from the lowermost steps when the jaws are widelyseparated to the up ermost steps when the jaws are relatively c osetogether, for it will be noted that the distance between the inner edgesof the shanks of the jaws and said pin is substantially the same as theheight of the shoulders or rises (1, so that when the jaws are spreadapart and the yoke in its in nermost position, a compression of the awsagainst the'action of the spring will bring the inner edge of thelowermost jaw into engagement with the pin about the time that the edged of the lowermost jaw has arisen be yond the lower wall of the openingin the yoke and will thereby raise the yoke to throw the upper wall ofthe opening beyond the cor.

responding edge (1 of the upper jaw when the yoke may be thrownforwardly toward the outer ends of the aws by the thumb of the user ontothe pair of foremost steps or edges, thereby locking the jaws closertogether. This feature of the wrench will be clear from an inspection ofFig. 1, wherein the normal position of the yoke is shown in full linesand the manner of shifting the yoke under the compression of the jawsprevious to forcing the same forwardly by dotted lines.

The end of the U-shaped handle A constitutes a stop or abutment limitingthe inward movement of the yoke E.

To accommodate the finger of the user when the lower or pivoted jaw iscompressed. against the spring, the sides of the handle A at the openedge thereof are depressed as in dicated at a.

The peculiar formation of the step-like portions of the jaws enables along fiat firm seating of the yoke when holding the jaws in adjustedposition; affords an abrupt positive abutment preventing movement of theyoke, beyond the step to which it has been adjusted enables the readyforward shifting of the yoke to an advanced pair of steps as the inneredges of the yoke are brought into alinement with the treads of thesteps; and enables a solid formation and bracing of the steps whereby nothin or weakened edges or points are presented for wear or strain, theresultant breaking, ripping off, or wearing of which wouldcorrespondingly impair the efhciencyof the adjusting instrumentalities.

I claim:

1. A wrench of the character described comprising two jaws, asubstantially U- shaped handle, a shank on one of the jaws permanentlysecured withinthe hollow of said handle, a shank on the other of saidjaws pivoted to said handle, means acting to force the pivoted jawoutwardly, and means for locking the jaws in various positions of ad-.justment including an adjustable yoke encompassing the shanks of thejaws and held against excessive inward movement by the end of thesubstantially Ushaped handle.

2. A wrench of the character described comprising two jaws, asubstantially U- shaped handle, a shank on one of the jaws permanentlysecured within the hollow of said handle, a shank on the other of saidjaws pivoted in said handle, a spring freely inserted in the space inthe handle intermediate the inner end of the permanently secured shankand the pivoted end of the other shank acting to force the pivoted jawoutwardly, and means for locking the jaws in various positions ofadjustment.

3. A wrench of the character described comprising two jaws, a handle, ashank on one of the jaws permanently secured to said handle, a shank onthe other of said jaws pivoted to said handle, means acting to force thepivoted jaw outwardly, and means for looking the jaws in variouspositions of adjustment including an adjustable yoke encompassing theshanks of the jaws and held against excessive inward movement by the endof the handle.

4. A wrench of the character described comprising two jaws, a handle, ashank on one of the jaws secured to the handle, a shank on the other ofsaid jaws movably connected to said handle, means acting to force themovable jaw outwardly, and means for locking the jaws in differentpositions, of adjustment including step-like edges on the jawshanks, ashiftable yoke encompassing said shanks adapted to engage correspondingtreads of the step-like edges and held against excessive inward movementby the end of the handle.

5. A wrench of the character described effect the shifting of the samefrom an ini tially adjusted position into registration with advancedstep-like edges.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

FRED H. SOHALL. MARTIN PLUNKETT.

l/Vitnesses 2 PAUL. A. TYLER, WM. ROBERT CoYNER.

